Cable connector

ABSTRACT

A plastic connector including an aperture gripping feature and closeable gripping yokes safely functions to replace prior expensive metal parts requiring laborious installation.

United States Patent Kiumpp, Jr. [4 1 Oct. 31, 1972 1541 CABLE CONNECTOR3,559,730 3/1971 Denjean ..174/153 0 x 2,490,253 12/1949 [72] vInventor. Ferdinand Kl lllll lh Jn, Mountam- 3,181,900 5/1965 3,424,8561/1969 Assignee: Heym Tschanz X 1 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [221Flled 699,892 8/1942 Germany ..248/74 R 211 Appl. 190.: 91,923

Primary Examiner-Chancellor E. Harris Attorney-Auslander 8: Thomas [52]LS. Cl- .i248/56, 174/65 R, l74/l53 G,

285/162, 339/103 C [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. CL; ..F16l 5/00 A I 1 plasticconnector mcludmg an aperture gripping [58] new Search "248/563 285/128feature and closeable gripping yokes safely functions 2 1 153 G,65;,339/103 C to replace prior expensive metal parts requiring laboriousinstallation. 56 R f llcS Cited 1 pawsefisymw TESPATBNTS PAIENTEMMI I912mam gmlk III vBY a t A Tram/06' l CABLECONNEC-TOR "The present inventionrelates to an improved cable connector.

I-Ieretofore, cable connectors were generally of metal and were fit intoelectric boxes or other fittings by complicated, laborconsuming meansusually including a nut over a threaded outer portion of the connectorto hold it in the box. Then a second clamping means usually'grasped thecable,'whether armored cable or insulated cable. V

Aside from the cost of the many parts of such prior connectors of thepast,'there was the big labor cost of screwing the parts together oncethey had been inserted for use. I

. According to the present invention, a single plastic I be carried outmay be further understood by reference to the description following andthe accompanying drawings.

-FIG. 1 is anisometric view of the cable connector of the presentinvention. 7

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2a is a front elevation of a modification of the connector of FIG.2.

FIG. 3 is a detail of one form of clamping arms ineluding a strainrelief.

FIG. 4 is a detail of a self-locking embodiment of clamping arms.

I FIG. 5 is a section of FIG. 4 at lines 5-5.

FIG.'6 is a bottom plan view of FIG. 4.

' FIG. 7 is a detail of another self-locking embodiment of clampingarms.

FIG. 8 is a partially broken away plan view of one of the clampingarmsof FIG. 7.

' FIG. 9 is a side elevation of a cable connectorof the presentinvention locked-in anaperture clamping cable.

FIG. 10 is embodiment of clamping arms.

FIG. 11, is a partially cut away plan view of the clamping arms of FIG.10.

Referring now to the figures in greater detail, where like referencenumbers denote like parts in the various figures.

The connector 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is the connector 10 into anaperture 12 as shown in FIG.

afront elevation of another self-locking 9. The bushing-ll as shown inFIG. 2a has a pair of flat sides 13 to fit in an appropriate aperture(not shown) and not rotatable.

The bushings 11, 11 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 2a and 9 include graspingmeans, in this instance, fingers l4with stepped shoulders 15. Thebushing 11 has a flange portion 16 on its outer periphery, thus wheninserted into an aperture 12, the fingers 14 grasp the peripheral panel17 wall about the aperture 12 and the flange 16 holds the bushing 11 andconnector 10 firmly in-place.

form of means used to hold bushings in apertures. A

selection of holding means known in the bushing art may be used to holdthe bushing portion 11 in an aperture 12.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 2a, the gripping portion 18 of the connector 10comprises a pair of integral straps 19 extending from the flange 16 orface of the bushing 11, each strap 19 having an integral yoke 20, 21.The yokes 20, 21 may have corrugations 22 to assist in better grasping acable or wire. The yokes 20, 21 are joined by screws 23 held by thread(not shown) in yoke 21 so that by turning the screws 23, the yokes 20,21 are tightenable over cable, armored or not, wire, or some form ofelectric line, which may be securely grasped by the connector 10 withits bushing 11,11 secured in an aperture 12. a

In FIG. 1 protective flanges 24 extendfrom the bushing 11 and flange 16(only one being shown in the figure). The protective flanges 24 coverthe areas that surround the cable or wire.

In FIG. 3, variant yokes 30, 31 are provided with a strain relief cavity33 and a strain relief gripper 34.

Thus, when the yokes 30, 31 are closed on a cable or wire, strain on awire or cable will be at the crimp between the cavity 33 and gripper 34.

The yoke 40 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 has two detents 41 with teeth42. The yoke 43 has a pair of openings 44. Each opening as can be seenin section in FIG. 5, hasa tooth 45 to grasp the detent 41, teeth 42 andhold the yokes 40, 43 in position closed over a cable or wire. In FIG.6, the yoke 43"may be seen with the detent 41 held as shown in FIG. 5.

The yokes 50, 51, as shown in FIGS. 7 through 9 have interfitting detentteeth 52, 53. In FIG. 7, the

The teeth 52, 53 firmly hold the yokes 50, 51 and cable In FIGS. 10 and11 another configuration of yokes 70, 71 of the present invention isshown. One yoke 71 has a pair of arms 72 with integral facing teeth 73,while the other yoke has interfltting teeth 74. The yokes 70, 71 may beclosed over a cable as shown with the yokes 50, 51 in FIG. 9. In FIG.11, relationship of the arm 72 and the teeth 73 is shown broken awaywhile a tooth 74 is shown dotted as it is held by the teeth 73. v

The connector 10 of the present invention is particularly useful forholding cable, armored or not, or wire in an electric junction box. Thehigh heat resistant dielectric plastic construction allows inexpensivemanufacture of the integral bushings 11, 11' and various yokeconstructions. The grasping means on the bushings 1 l, 11' minimize thetime-consuming labor of the past threading nuts on shanks so that theconnector would be held firmly in an aperture.

The plastic is preferably one that is self extinguishing under flamingconditions, one that might deform under which might drop and ignitefires.

the teeth 52, 53

an aperture comprising a connector made of plastic adapted to extinguishitself under flaming conditions, a bushing portion, said bushing portionincluding an outer flange, gripping means on said bushing, said grippingmeans adapted to grasp a peripheral aperture wall between said flangeand said gripping means, and integral strap means extending from saidbushing, said strap means including integral yoke means, said yoke meansadapted to grasp an electric line.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said grasping means further includescrew means.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said grasping means is corrugated.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said grasping means is adapted toact as a strain relief.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said strain relief comprises acavity and a gripper adapted to interact with said cavity.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein said grasping means includeinterlocking detents.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said interlocking detents includeteeth.

8. The invention of claim 1 wherein said bushing includes flat sides.

1. A plastic electric line connector for insertion into an aperturecomprising a connector made of plastic adapted to extinguish itselfunder flaming conditions, a bushing portion, said bushing portionincluding an outer flange, gripping means on said bushing, said grippingmeans adapted to grasp a peripheral aperture wall between said flangeand said gripping means, and integral strap means extending from Saidbushing, said strap means including integral yoke means, said yoke meansadapted to grasp an electric line.
 2. The invention of claim 1 whereinsaid grasping means further include screw means.
 3. The invention ofclaim 1 wherein said grasping means is corrugated.
 4. The invention ofclaim 1 wherein said grasping means is adapted to act as a strainrelief.
 5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said strain relief comprisesa cavity and a gripper adapted to interact with said cavity.
 6. Theinvention of claim 1 wherein said grasping means include interlockingdetents.
 7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said interlocking detentsinclude teeth.
 8. The invention of claim 1 wherein said bushing includesflat sides.